Fordham University - Maroon Yearbook (New York, NY)

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jfurhbam Ginihersitp year he founded the St. .lohn's Debating Society, which has existed full of good deeds to this day. 1Yhen Father Tellier had rounded out his sixth year as President of Ford- ham. he was succeeded. in 1860. by Father Thebaud, who was re-appointed to the ollice he had left vacant nine years before. lluring his second term, many im- portant events took place. The Seminary liuilding and Church were purchased from .Xrchbishop Hughes for 385.000, and additional property was also procured. ln 18oO, a marble quarry in Tremont was acquired, and a blue stone quarry was opened in the woods near the Bronx River. ln 1862 the lodge standing today at the main gateway was built as an experiment to test the qualities of the stone supplied by the newly opened quarry. lfvidently it proved durable, judging from the fact that all the college buildings save one, erected since that time, have been built of this blue stone, ln the latter part of 1863, Father Thebaud was succeeded by Father lidward lloucet. Father lloucet was a famous musician and a preacher of great ability. He was also a close friend of the much pitied and greatly maligned Edgar .-Xllan l'oe. who would often come to dine and hold conversation with the Fathers. l'oe lived, at that time, on Fordham hill, beyond the village. Father Doucet was in office but one year when he was called away to liurope and his duties then devolved upon the Yice-President. Father l'eter Tissot. Father Tissot retired at the end of the year. and Father XYilliam Kloylan was appointed in his stead. Father Xloylan left after him Senior llall. as a material contribution to Fordham's upbuilding. The structure was finished in the summer of 1867. ln 1808, Father Bloylan having served for three years, retired in favor of Father ,loseph Shea. During his term. Father Shea made some improvements to the buildings, and also several changes in the discipline of the college. lrle was followed as Presi- dent, in 187-l, by Father F. XYilliam fioclceln, who had previously held the office of Yice-President. Father lioclteln's chief problem during his term was the combatting of some disciplinary evils, which had crept in during the previous administration. llowever. after he had given them prompt attention, and reme- dial measures had been 'applied. all traces of the laxity disappeared, and the college was itself again. XYhen Father tioclteln had completed his long term of eight years, he was succeeded hy Father l'. F. llealy. Father llealy was probably one of the most able and progressive men that the college had had as its head up to this time. Not without a thorough acquaintance with Fordham, its manner and customs the himself having been a student there in 18-lil, he set to work to make some much needed improvements. Through his initiative, a regular College publication was started, resulting in the first appearance of the 'Fordham College Monthly, in November. 1882. Father llealy also introduced the landscape architect, and his coming resulted in extensive changes in the form of new terraces and better 23

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The Maroon roads. Some needed repairs also were made to the old Seminary Building, the present St. 'lohns Hall. Father Ilealy recognized the need of a new Science Hall, and in 1885 ground was broken for the building, now situated about eighty yards south of the Senior Hall. Another achievement to his credit was the intro- duction of military instruction into the college, and thereafter for many years, the drill, under officers of the regular army, was a part of the curriculum. He was followed, in 1885, by lfather Thomas Campbell, a very able, ener- getic and enterprising man, fully determined to carry on the work begun by his illustrious predecessors. He made several changes in the Debating Club, among them that of having the meetings carried on after the plan of the British House of Commons, measures being brought up and debated in strict British parliamen- tary form. During this administration, the bronze statue of the Blessed Yirgin, which now stands between the First and Second Division Buildings, was un- veiled on liebruary Z. 1887, the anniversary of the founding of the Parthenian Sodality. During the last year of Fr. C.'ampbell's term, electric lights were installed in the college buildings. 1n July, 1888, he was succeeded by Father .lohn Scully. The work that marked the latter's Rectorship, was the putting up of new buildings, some of which were sorely needed. The present ,Iunior Hall, erected in 1890, is due to his initiative. lle also built the wing of First Division Building, now occupied by the faculty. During his term the tiolden 'lubilee celebration of the founding of Fordham occurred. As a litting testimonial of the occasion the Alumni Asso- ciation donated S10,000 for the erection of a bronze statue to .Xrchbishop Hughes. Founder of the institution iifty years before. The unveiling of the statue to the renowned Arch- bishop was one of the principal features of the celebration, held on -lune 24, 1391. Scores of old graduates assisted, and addresses were delivered, the principal one being an oration by the eloquent .Xrchbishop Ryan, of llhiladelphia. Father tiannon became Rector in 1891, to be succeeded in 1896 by Father Campbell, who was re-appointed for a second term. liather George QX. Pettit then took ollice in 1900. lt was during his tenure of oflice. in bluly, 1903, that the corner- stone of the present ,Xuditorium was laid. The building was completed and opened in the fall of 1905, The Fordham hospital, built on the college property, was erected by the city at this period. ln 1904 Father john Collins, now Bishop of -lamaica. VV. 1.. succeeded to the Presidency, On 5T,.yyL'1g ms ,mc-HmS,I,,p mm, c 21